U.S. Soccer Stars, Blogosphere Slam World Cup Referee

Koman Coulibaly could shed light on his controversial call -- but he's not talking

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United States' Landon Donovan protests as Mali's referee Koman Coulibaly showed a yellow card to a Slovenian player during the World Cup group C soccer match between Slovenia and the United States at Ellis Park Stadium in Johannesburg, South Africa, Friday, June 18, 2010.

The infamous moment followed an incredible U.S. comeback rally in the second-half of the match, when Maurice Edu scored in the final minutes – and Coulibaly called foul.

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But what was the offense exactly? ESPN’s on-air announcers first said it appeared the referee called off-side, a theory contradicted by replay footage. Then, FIFA’s play-by-play claimed it was a foul on Edu, according to FanHouse.com.

Nearly every player in the penalty area “was holding, grabbing, pulling or pushing as the U.S. free kick sailed in to the 18-yard zone,” according to Haydon, and Coulibaly caught one of those fouls.

“Referees are under orders from FIFA to clamp down on the plague of fouls in the penalty area, but it's proving virtually impossible,” Haydon wrote. “Most referees are unwilling to penalize the defending team, preferring to turn down goals rather than give them.”

Noted New York Times writer George Vecsey: "The Americans can rage all they want, as some of them did after the match. The fact is, their comatose performance in the first half, made worse by the lumbering legs and sluggish reactions of Oguchi Onyewu, their postoperative central defender, put them in this dreadful hole."

Had the Americans "not put themselves in a tough position by blowing it in the first half and having to make up two goals, it wouldn’t have come down to a call in the final minutes," Vecsey added.

If there’s a silver lining from the debacle, it’s that Team USA is still very much a contender in the World Cup.

England’s dud of a tie against Algeria Friday gifted the 14th ranked Yanks three paths to continue on to the round of 16 -- and sets up Wednesday’s match against 30th ranked Algeria as a make or break showdown.

The U.S. can advance with a win against Algeria or go home with a loss.

Should the match end in a draw, the Americans also stay alive if a) England loses against Slovenia or b) Solvenia and England tie and England finishes with fewer total goals than the U.S.

If any of those scenerios should come to pass, well, no harm, no foul.